Not All Slytherins Are Bad
by dancingwithawolf
Summary: Aviana Grace has lived with her abusive adoptive parents for four years. When she starts getting letters from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, she thinks she's finally found freedom. What will happen when she's put into Slytherin? The house stereotyped as being cruel and evil.
1. Chapter 1

The best day of my life was the day I was adopted, or so I thought. I had been in that orphanage for seven years, I had seen kids come and go and I was stuck there, it wasn't fair. When I was told that I was being adopted I didn't even stop to question it, question who would adopt the freaky girl who could break things without touching them should she get angry 'they must just be from out of town.' I thought to myself as I rushed to pack. Little did I know I was to become their slave, in all sorts of ways.

[4 years later]

*warning abuse*

I woke to the usual bright light shining down into the basement, it was my 'father'. He came down ever morning before my 'mother' woke so he could use me as he own personal punching bag. I cowered in the corner as he approached, the smell of alcohol still very much present on him. This had gone on almost as long as I had been living with them. He grabbed me and pulled me off the mattress, punching and kicking being only the beginning of the abuse he unleashed on me.

"Stay still you brat, your lucky we took you in. Since your parents clearly didn't want anything to do with you." He hissed the hateful words in my ear as he continued to assault me.

The assault went on for what felt like hours before he finally got up and left. As soon as the door was shut I broke down sobbing.

After making breakfast for the Billings I headed out to the hallway to collect the post. I passed the bundle of letters to Mrs Billings who looked through each one until she came to the last letter

"is this some kind of a joke? Do you think this is funny?" Mrs Billings screamed as she slammed the letter down in front of me. The envelope read

Miss Aviana Grace

The basement

48 Fairing Avenue

London

"Did you do this?" She screamed again

"No I didn't do anything." I stuttered

"liar!" She hissed before slapping me and stuffing the letter in the shredder without even reading it. After the letter incident I was told to go get dressed for school.

I hated school. Most people do but myself, I hated it more. As if the abuse at home wasn't enough I had to endure it at school as well. Break time and lunch were filled with name calling, stone throwing and hair pulling. I had learnt to lock myself in the bathroom after eating my lunch as quickly as possible.

The letters kept coming for weeks and each time I would get a beating. Then one morning, July thirtieth to be precise, there came a loud knocking at the door

"Ava get the door!" Mrs Billings shouted from upstairs as I headed towards the front door. At the door stood an old woman wearing an old dress and a witches hat

"hello, I'm professor McGonagall, this is for you." She said and passed me a letter

"Ava, who's at the door?" Mrs Billings asked, the old woman put her finger to her lips and I instantly got the message

"Oh, it's no one. Just someone from some charity." I lied as I opened up the letter.

"Is this some sort of a joke? Magic isn't real." I said in disbelief

"Oh it is deary. Now if you want to get out of here I suggest you come with me." She told me.

I looked back and saw the shadow of Mrs Billings at the top of the stairs. I'm not sure what made me trust her but I'm glad I did.

"Okay." I said as I step out of the door.


	2. Chapter 2

We soon reached an old looking pub called The Leaky Cauldron

"What are we doing here professor?" I asked confused

"We're just passing through, this is the way to Diagon Alley." Professor McGonagall told me

"Diagon Alley?" I asked

"It's where you'll get all your supplies for school. Oh and you'll need this." She said handing me a pouch of coins.

We headed out the back door and came face to face with a brick wall. Professor McGonagall tapped on the brick third from the left above the bin and suddenly the wall opened up revealing a busy street. My mouth fell open as I looked into the street

"Come on then. We don't have all day" McGonagall said pulling me from my daze.

The street was noisy with children and parents a like rushing around trying to buy the things they need

"We'd better get your uniform first." Professor McGonagall said pulling me over to a shop. The front of the shop said Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions. We entered the shop to see a small plump woman in mauve

"Hogwarts is it?" She asked. I simply nodded as the woman showed me over to station with a footstool

"Just stand on the footstool for me dear." She smiled.

She slipped a long black robe over my head and began pinning bits into place to fit. I'd never had properly fitting clothes before so this was a new experience for me.

"Oh, and we'll have three of the robes." McGonagall shouted from the front of the shop

"Aright dear." The plump woman smiled

"And a winter cloak as well." McGonagall reminded her

"I know. Had a lot of Hogwarts kids in here today." She laughed as she continued to pin the robes.

"Alright that's you done." The woman said pacing me the clothes as McGonagall paid for the items.

The next shop we went into was a book store called Flourish and Blotts. The store it's self had books piled from floor to ceiling of all kinds.

"What books do I need professor?" I asked.

McGonagall handed me the letter with the required books

"So first of all I need 'The standard book of spells, grade 1'" I said to myself as I looked round the shop for the books. Some time later I had accumulated all the books I would need and we were onto the next shop.

The final shop we went into was Ollivanders wand shop

"Ah, hello." The old man beamed as I walked inside

"hi. I'd like to buy a wand." I said

"ah yes now let's see. Try this one." The man said and passed me a wand.

I stood holding the wand for a few seconds before Ollivander said

"Give it wave." I waved the wand and caused some of the wands to fly from their places

"Sorry." I apologised putting the wand down on the counter quickly

"That's quiet alright. I remember when Professor McGonagall here got her first wand. Took about twenty wands to find the right one."

"I don't think it was quiet twenty." McGonagall put in.

After several wands I was given my wand, as soon as I took a hold of it, it felt right. My wand was an ebony coloured ash wand with a unicorn hair core.

"Right Aviana. You will need to go to Kings Cross station September 1st to get the train to Hogwarts. The train leaves at eleven o'clock from platform 9 3/4. You will be staying at the leaky cauldron until then." McGonagall told me as we arrived back at the leaky cauldron

"But, professor I've never heard of platform 9 3/4. Where is it?"

"Oh,sorry. You need to run at the wall between platforms nine and ten." With that McGonagall was gone. She just disappeared before my eyes. I wrote the incident off as magic and headed up to my room.

I had little to do over the next couple of weeks. I had read all my text books cover to cover within the first week and practiced some simple spells without the knowledge that until 16 I couldn't do magic outside of Hogwarts. I found that out the hard way. By week three I was bored, and with only my cat Midnight as company.

"Are you sure I can't go down to Diagon Alley for a little while?" I pleaded,for the third time that day, to the owner of the place

"McGonagall told me not to let you leave." He said once again

"I won't go far. I just want to have a look."

"Okay fine, but be back by sundown." He sighed as I raced out the door.

Diagon Alley was a lot quieter now than a few weeks ago. I wandered down the street aimlessly until I came to a shop that said Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream

Parlour. Realising I was in fact quiet hungry I went inside the shop to get a mint choc chip ice cream with the money I had brought out with me. Once coming out of the ice cream parlour I noticed a boy maybe a few years older than myself over by a broomstick shop. He was with his parents and I think he was trying to persuade them to buy him the broom. I chuckled slightly at the sight realising this was a normal thing here. A clock chimed behind me showing it to be 5pm. I set off back to the leaky cauldron realising that the sun would be setting soon

"You have a good time?" The wizard asked as I came through the door

"Yeah. I didn't get a chance to really look round last time." I told him as I climbed the stairs to my room.

'There is only a week left.' I thought to myself 'I can get through a week.'


	3. Chapter 3

September 1st came around all too soon and I was on my way to Kings Cross station. Once at the station I loaded my trunks onto a trolley and made my way down to platforms 9 and 10. After wandering up and down platform 9 and 10 for a while I heard someone shout

"This way for platform 9 3/4." It was a family of red heads.

There was a tall boy probably around the age of sixteen, a slightly smaller boy maybe two years older than me, two twins who looked my age, a smaller boy who was maybe eight or nine, and a girl around a year younger than him

"Are you going onto the platform?" I asked shyly

"Is it your first year? It's alright it's Fred and George's first year too." The woman said looking at her sons

"All you have to do is run at the wall between platforms 9 and 10." The woman continued.

The family ran through the wall and I ran though after them, I gave my bags to one of the train staff before boarding the train and sitting in an empty booth.

Not two seconds after I sat down the twins, Fred and George entered my booth

"Hi, I'm Fred and this is George. We met on the platform." Fred said as they sat down opposite me

"My name's Aviana." I smiled

"I take it your muggle born then?" George said

"Pardon?"

"are your parents wizards?"

"I don't know. I'm adopted." I told them. Another red head entered the booth at that moment

"Fred, George there you are. Oh hello."

"Hi."

"This is our friend Ava. You don't mind us calling you that do you?" Fred said turning his attention to me

"I'd rather you didn't, but Avi is okay I guess."

Several hours later the train stopped. Me, Fred and George jumped off the train

"First years this way." A voice boomed. We turned and saw a giant bearded man calling for the first years

"That's Hagrid. Percy's told us about him." George told me as we walked over with the other first years.

Once all the first years had gathered round Hagrid, we were lead over to the lake

"Everyone onto the boats." Hagrid called out.

Fred and George jumped onto the boat before me and thought it would be great fun to rock the boat as I was trying to get in

"It's not funny stop it." I cried half in the boat

"I see we have some trouble makers over here. Come here I'll help you." Hagrid chuckled as he lifted me into the boat.

All of a sudden the boats set off by them selves and we were off across the lake towards the castle in front of us

"Wow is that a squid?" A blonde boy on the boat next to us gasped as a giant squid surfaced

"Oh yes, there are lots of creatures in the lake. Like merfolk and grindylow." Hagrid told us.

Once inside the castle we were met by Professor McGonagall, she gave me a quick smile and began talking to the group

"Through these doors is the great hall. Once inside you will be sorted into your houses, there are four houses Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw." The doors opened and everyone turned to look at us as we walked through the great hall

"Look at the ceiling." Someone gasped

"It's an enchantment." The blonde from earlier replied

"Definitely Ravenclaw." an older student whispered to her friend.

We crowded around an old hat

"That's the sorting hat. Our brother Charlie told us about it." George whispered.

One by one we were called up to sit on the stool and place the sorting hat on our heads. The sorting hat would then pick which house the person would be best suited to

"Mathew Read." Professor McGonagall shouted for the blonde boy from earlier. The hat had barely touched his head before shouting out

"Ravenclaw!"

"Told you so." I heard from somewhere followed by the slight jingle of coins

"Aviana Grace." I took a deep breathe and stepped forward to sit in the stool. Professor McGonagall gave me a reassuring smile as she placed the hat in my head

"Ah interesting," I head the hat mumble in my ear "very brave for one so young, much like a Gryffindor. No not Gryffindor, ah bright and logical like a Ravenclaw but also cunning and ambitious much like a Slytherin. Now this is tricky, where to put you?" The hat continued to mumble for several more minutes, much longer than anyone else so far.

"Thirty more seconds and she will have beaten McGonagall's time." Someone whispered as they continued to stare at me unable to hear the mumbling of the hat

"Slytherin!" the hat said suddenly causing a look of shock to come over nearly half the school, Fred and George included.

I looked back at Professor McGonagall who had a look of disappointment, though she was trying to hide it.

"It's okay kid. We're not that bad, honestly." an older Slytherin girl smiles as I sat down.


	4. Chapter 4

[Fred's POV]

"Slytherin!" The hat shouted. I looked to my brother and around the hall, they were all wearing the same shocked expression.

'Avi is so quiet and nice. How has she ended up in Slytherin?' I thought to myself

"Lydia McFarlane." McGonagall shouted

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted after a minute

"Natalie Mitchell!"

"Hufflepuff!" This went on for several more minutes before I heard

"George Weasley!"

"Good luck mate." I smiled at my brother. He walked confidently up to the stool

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted almost immediately

"Fred Weasley." It was my turn. I walked up to the stool trying to be confident like my brother. McGonagall placed the hat in my head

"Haven't I just sorted you?" The hat grumbled

"No, that was my twin brother." I laughed

"Well then. It must be Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. I smiled as the room cheered. The sorting ceremony went on for a few more minutes before the food arrived, by magic of course. After the food we were shown to the common room behind a portrait of 'The Fat Lady'

"This is the Gryffindor common room" one of the prefects said as we went through the port hole. We were shown the dormitories and told to go to bed.

[Aviana's POV]

I panicked the moment I woke up. You know when you wake up in a new place and it takes a moment to remember the events of the day before. I sat on the emerald green bed trying to regain my breath while the three other first years in my room slept. My cat, Midnight, rubbed her head against my arm

"Hello girl." I whispered. I quietly dressed in my robes and packed my satchel with my books, a few scrolls of paper, some ink and a couple quills before leaving the room.

I'd be lying if I said the moving stairs were easy to navigate. I only had to go up one flight of stairs and I somehow ended up on the fourth floor. I began to descend the stairs again, quicker this time, when all of a sudden my foot fell right through the floor. Trick steps. The prefects had told us about them but failed to mention where they were

"Woah there. Don't hurt yourself," someone said as they grabbed my arm "don't worry you get used to the disappearing stairs"

"Yeah. We got told about them, just not where they are." I laughed as I turned to face the boy who I recognised from the brooms shop that day in Diagon Alley.

We walked down to the great hall for breakfast, we were quiet early. There was only the Ravenclaw first year, Mathew, a few Hufflepuff's and the odd Gryffindor.

"I'm Oliver by the way." Oliver smiled.

"Hey Avi! Come sit with us," Fred shouted as I strode over to the twins

"These are our friends, Lydia, Emily and Oliver"

"We've already met" Oliver smiled

"Yeah. Those stairs are very annoying." I chuckled as I went to grabbed a slice of toast.

"Aviana. I do believe you are a Slytherin and this is the Gryffindor table." Professor Snape said from behind making me jump

"Sorry professor." I mumbled as I got up and moved to the next table, the Slytherin table. Since we were only a table away I continued to talk to my new friends, and by the end of breakfast I had learnt that Lydia, who was in my transfiguration class, was a muggle born and Emily was a half blood.

Me, Lydia, Fred and George left the great hall to go to transfiguration with McGonagall

"What do you think Professor McGonagall is going to be like?" Lydia asked

"Percy told us she's really strict." George told her

"She was really nice to me." I muttered

"You've met her?" The twins said together

"Yeah. She came to collect me when I didn't reply to the acceptance letter." I said shyly

"Well I'll guess we'll find out" Fred smiled. We got to the room just as everyone was walking inside

"Just in time" I sighed

"She's not here yet" Lydia noted, she was right. Inside the room the desks were all occupied by students but there was no teacher, only a tabby cat.

"Where is she?" I asked

"Wait for it" Fred sniggered obviously knowing something we didn't. The tabby jumped off the table and transformed into our teacher. The room was filled with gasps

"Good morning class. I am Professor McGonagall and I will be teaching you transfiguration."

Even though it was only my first class I had decided it was probably going to be my favourite. We didn't do much only tried to turn a match into a needle. I didn't get very far with it though, only turning it a weird silvery brown colour with a slightly pointed tip.

"Did you manage to turn it into a needle then?" I asked the twins as we left the room

"Nope." George sighed

"Not a thing." Fred finished

"Oh I made it a kind of silvery brown colour and I think the end was slightly pointed but I think I was seeing things." I said realising I had done much better than the twins

"What do you have now?" I asked changing the subject

"Herbology. With the Hufflepuff's." Fred told me

"I think I have flying lessons, with Ravenclaw."

"Not fair we don't have flying until Thursday." George groaned

"And you have it with Hufflepuff." I separated from the twins at the stairs. I wouldn't see them now until Friday when we had double potions together, not counting meals of course.

I hurried outside to where Madam Hooch was about to begin the lesson

"Come on, hurry up. We don't have all day." She said. There were multiple brooms placed on the ground in front of us. We all went a stood beside on of them, the Slytherins on one side Ravenclaws on the other.

"Now I want you to place your hand over the broom and say 'up' nice and clearly." Madam Hooch instructed. All at once there was a roar of noise as each one of us tried to get our come up. I got the broom up almost immediately and couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the Ravenclaw opposite, Mathew, who was struggling. He was the second Ravenclaw to get his broom up and gave me a look that said 'see I can do it too'. Once the whole class had gotten their broom up we were shown how to mount the broom and gently push off.

The end of the lesson came soon after and the rest of the day was a blur of lessons before dinner finally came. Myself and the twins had decided that some we can't sit on the same table we would sit back to back so we could still talk to one another

"So anything interesting happen since we left you?" Fred asked

"Well the rest of my lessons were with the Ravenclaws and me and this boy Mathew got into an unspoken competition about who was better. I got my feather to float first in Flitwicks lesson, and he answered more questions in Herbology. So we're tied at the moment." I told them. We continued talking about our first day and then about complete nonsense until it was time to go up to the common rooms.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast." I waved to them at the stairs

"Your actually friends with Gryffindor's?" An older girl asked

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"Don't you find them irritating? I have Study of magical creatures with Gryffindor and I can't stand it." She ranted as we walked thought he dungeon to the common room. I didn't spend any time in the common room like the others did, I went straight up to my room where I was met by Midnight. I quickly undressed and examined the markets that littered my body from my so called family. I preferred to change out of my uniform early so I wouldn't risk the other girls in my room seeing all the bruises. I got into my pyjamas and into bed before the other girls arrived.


	5. Chapter 5

They say time flies when you're having fun. I never really noticed it before I went to Hogwarts, but next thing I knew it was Halloween

"Hey guys. Hi Wood." I smiled as I took my usual seat behind the three boys

"So Avi. What are you doing for Christmas?" Wood asked

"I'm staying here." I said simply

"Are you not going home?" Wood asked

"Ha, no." I laughed

"Why not."

"I, um." I stuttered "I don't belong there." I lied.

"You don't belong there?"

"Yeah I was adopted and my family are muggles. Technically they don't know I'm here." As soon as I said that I regretted it

"They don't know you're here! Avi. They're probably worries out of their minds."

"Yeah right. They don't care." I huffed. I got up and started walking towards the door angry at the guys and at myself for telling even that little bit about myself.

"Of course they care, they're your family." Fred said as they caught up to me.

"No. They don't. You want to know how I know?" I lifted my shirt to reveal my ribs, showing them a scattering of faded bruises "my so called father did that. Three months ago, and the worst part is the marks are still there. It's like even coming here I can't get away from them. It's a constant reminder that I'll never truly get away from them." I spat before trying to escape for the stairs.

I never made it to the stairs as I was pulled into a huge hug. I couldn't hold back the flood of tears and began sobbing on the person nearest my face.

"You're going to be okay." George said as the three boys continued to hug me

"Um guys I need oxygen." I chuckled slightly once the tears subsided

"Oh yeah, sorry." Fred said and they let me loose

"So what are you going to do at the end of the year? Because you're sure as hell not going back there." George asked

"I'm not sure yet. Dumbledore might let me stay here I suppose." We never did end our conversation as the rest of the students came pouring out of the great hall

"Well we have double potions now anyway and Avi here is Snape's favourite student." George sighed

"I'm not his favourite student I'm just good at potions."

"Yeah potions and transfigurations and probably all your other lessons as well. How did you end up in Slytherin?" Fred added

"Yeah I'd of expected Gryffindor or maybe Ravenclaw, but Slytherin" George agreed.

The end of Halloween brought about the beginning of the quidditch session.

"Hey Wood. You ready for the game tomorrow?" Fred asked

"Yeah. Your brother, Charlie, has been drilling us all week." Wood chuckled "you guys are going to be there right?"

"Of course we are." I said

"Yeah, we wouldn't miss it." George agreed grabbing another piece of toast.

We continued to talk about school and the upcoming quidditch game. After breakfast I broke away from the three boys and headed to my Astronomy class with Ravenclaw. Most of my classes were with the house and myself and the Ravenclaw boy Matthew had been silently competing for top spot in all our lessons. The only lesson I was truly better than than him in was flying. He couldn't get the hang of it now matter how hard he tried

"You alright down there?" I asked as I whizzed around above him

"oh shut up Aviana." he called out as he hovered a little more than a foot off the ground "we weren't all born to fly. Plus you are at a natural advantage since your a midget, your more streamlined." Matthew was from a muggle family so had gone to a muggle primary school. I guess he must have been smart even then as I didn't think they taught that level of science to primary school children.

"I'm not a midget, you're just a lanky sod." I laughed as I flew off around the green once again

"Miss Grace. I understand you may think you are a good flyer, but could you come a little lower?" Madam Hooch shouted up to me. I rolled my eyes and lowered myself so I was only a few feet off the ground now.

"That's you told." Matthew said as he flew past. Rather slowly I might add.

The rest of the day flew by and before I knew it, it was time for the first quidditch match of the session. Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw. We all piled into the stands ready for the match to start. Across from the Slytherin stands was the Gryffindor stands. I looked out across the stands trying to locate the two redheads. I had just located the tint of red in amongst the mass of people when there was a roar of cheers around me. I looked down onto the pitch and saw that the Ravenclaw team had come out onto the pitch. The Slytherins wouldn't normally route for their team but Slytherin and Gryffindor were mortal enemies and an exception could be made for today. A few seconds after the Gryffindor team was on the pitch and the crowd around me erupted into a mass of booing. I spotted Wood almost instantly on the pitch. Madam Hooch began throwing the bludgers into the air followed by the snitch. She put her whistle to her lips and blew as she released the quaffle into the air. The game had begun. Around a minute in the Ravenclaws began chanting

"We hate Gryffindor." Over and over. Next thing I know the Slytherins are chanting

"We hate Gryffindor more than you." I looked over at the pitch and saw Wood looking up at the stands so I began chanting along as well, laughing as I did so.

Wood shook his head at me as I caught sight of something behind him. A bludger. It hit him in the back of the head. I watched helplessly as my friend plummeted to the ground, landing with a loud thud. A timeout was issued as the Gryffindor team ran over to their keeper. I watched helplessly for a few seconds before noticing the twins rushing from the stands. I got up myself and began descending the stairs

"Where are you going, traiter?" A large fourth year boy asked

"Get out of my way." I snarled at him

"What if I don't want to?"

"Just move." I snapped and shoved him as hard as I could. I caught him off guard and he stumbled slightly giving me just enough time to run down the stairs onto the pitch. Madam Pomfrey was down by Wood when I reached them

"Guys. Is he alright?" I asked the twins

"Don't know yet." Fred confessed

"That bludger sure hit him hard." George continued. We followed Madam Pomfrey off the pitch and the Gryffindor team brought on their reserve.

Wood was unconscious for a week. Myself and the twins would go up and check up on him after lessons, before we went down to the great hall for dinner. The rest of the Slytherins were harassing me now that they knew I was friends with Gryffindors. I never kept it a secret they just never noticed it before.

"Traitor!" A third year girl I'd never even seen before shouted at me as I walked to the end of the table where there weren't as many people. I glanced over at the twins a few times and they gave me sympathetic smiles

"Why don't you just go join them, traitor?" Yet another person I didn't know shouted down the table. I snapped.

"Look. You don't want me here, I can see that. You know what, I don't want to be here either. But I was put here and I can't move." I finished my mini rant and stormed out of the great hall.

I walked aimlessly for a bit and found myself by the infirmary. I decided that I may as well see Wood while I was there. I wandered into the infirmary unsure of myself. Immediately I recognised the figure of my friend being fussed my Madam Pomfrey

"Don't worry. He's just woken up." She smiled at me as I approached the bed. All of a sudden I found myself hugging the third year boy

"I wasn't out for that long, was I?" He chuckled

"A week, Wood." I couldn't hold it back anymore "they're calling me a traitor, Wood, I don't even know them. People in the years above. Because I'm friends with you and the twins." I sobbed hysterically as he cradled me. I suddenly realised how silly I must look and wiped the tears from my eyes

"Sorry. I'm being stupid." I apologise pulling out of the hug and sitting on the end of the hug. Wood went to say something but the twins came bursting through the doors

"Be quiet!" Madam Pomfrey scolded them

"Avi. We thought we'd find you here. What you said to them, it was awesome." Fred panted as they sat down next to the bed

"You should have seen her Wood. The way she stood up to those Slytherins. She was awesome."

"were you now? Well I'll have to take your word for it won't I?" Wood chuckled giving me a knowing smile. We stayed as long as we could before Madam Pomfrey kicked us out to go to bed

"we'll come see you tomorrow." George shouted as we left the infirmary towards our common rooms.


	6. Chapter 6

The arrival of snow brought joy to the castle. Decorations were being put up and everyone was getting into the Christmas spirit. Even I was. I had toughen up over the last few months as well. I wasn't the fragile little girl who cried when someone called her a name.

"traitor." A second year Slytherin shouted from behind me

"Who cares! At least I have friends." I shouted back smiling slightly.

It was the day before the Christmas holidays and we had our last Astronomy lesson. We all trudged out of the common room at quarter to eleven to get up to the astronomy tower. We had an hour long lesson at midnight every Friday with the Ravenclaws.

The next morning came and I watched as my friends boarded the train to go home. I didn't mind to much, Hogwarts was my home how. I waved them off as the train left Hogsmeade station. After watching the train disappear from sight I trudged back up to the castle leaving footprints in the fresh snow.

I was the only one at the Slytherin table the next morning. I received many an awkward stare during this time. After this I spent most of my time either in the common room or the library studying. It was really weird seeing the common room so empty, since Slytherin wasn't exactly the quietest house. I would wander round the common room bored not having to worry about people getting in the way or sending hurtful words my way.

Soon Christmas morning was upon us. I was never a big fan of Christmas, I never got any presents with my adoptive parents. To me Christmas was just another day of the year. I slumped down to the great hall to get some breakfast before starting my Transfigurations homework. I grabbed a piece of toast from the middle of the table and watched as the owls came swooping down to give presents. I got the shock of my life when a barn owl smashed into a large bowl of cereal a little further up the table. The owl hobbled over and dropped a box and note in front of me. Curiously I opened the note, it read

Dear Avi,

We know you probably wouldn't be getting anything for Christmas so we told our mum and she made you a Weasley jumper. We hope you like it.

Love Fred and George.

Whilst reading the note I failed to notice the tawny owl that landed in front of me with yet another parcel along with a letter. Once again I took the letter and read through it.

Dear Avi.

You probably haven't had any presents today (unless the twins got you anything). So I went to Diagon Alley before leaving London and got you a few bits. I hope you like them. Plus I told my parents about you and they said you were welcome to stay for the summer holiday (don't worry I didn't tell them anything just that you didn't have a place to stay).

From Wood

I smiled to myself as I grabbed the parcels and hurried off to my common room. Inside the parcel from the twins was an emerald green jumper with a silver A in the middle. A smile spread across my face as I slipped the woolen jumper over my head. Next I opened the parcel from Wood. Inside was a book called 'The Tales of Beedle The Bard', a few boxes of Berty's every flavour beans and some chocolate frogs. My smile increased as I thought about my friends. I grabbed a few pieces of parchment and a quill and began writing replies to my friends.

Dear Fred and George

Thanks so much for the jumper. Tell your mum I love it. I can't wait until you're back again, see you in in week.

From Avi

I wrote to the twins. I then began a letter telling Wood how I love the book and sweets, and that the twins had given me a Weasley jumper. I finished of by telling him that this was the best Christmas I'd ever had.

I headed up to the owlery to send the thank you notes to my friends. It took a while to find Wood's owl since it looked so similar to about ten other. The twins bird was easy to find I just looked for the owl that kept falling off its perch. I attached the notes to the birds ankles and let them go one by one telling them where to go. After sending the notes I head down to the great hall for the Christmas feast taking place. Since I was the only one of the Slytherin table the teachers let me sit with my friend Lydia on the Gryffindor table who greeted me with a box full of chocolate and sweets from Honeydukes sweet shop. Let's just say this did turn a few heads.

I fell asleep that night with Wood's book on my chest and my stomach full of Christmas dinner, two things I hadn't had before. I would usually just get left overs and I never got presents.


End file.
